SHOPPING SECONDHAND
Consignment shopping is having a comeback and I am HERE FOR IT. Not only is it a good sustainable shopping practice to buy secondhand or vintage, but it’s my favorite way to score designer deals, and with best in class websites like The Real Real, Poshmark and ThredUP, it’s never been easier. Read on to find out why I love shopping secondhand!
Luxury for a fraction of the price
I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a classic luxury label. There are just some names that will never go out of style and are therefore worth a certain level of investment to me. That said, that level of investment doesn’t have to be full retail price!
If you’re looking to dip your toe into luxury labels, I would recommend starting with a classic style and looking for it vintage or secondhand. I’d even go so far as to research the style you love, then search for the style name (e.g. Chanel Caviar Backpack) on a website like The Real Real or Poshmark. You’ll probably be able to score 20-30% off the price of a brand new item and because these things are made to last, I bet no one will be able to tell the difference between yours and one straight off the rack.
For me, Chanel is most definitely one of those labels that will never go out of style, so when I spotted this little backpack beauty at Agora Vintage in Athens, GA, I was smitten.
Explore trends on a budget
It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that, as a rule, I am not a “trendy” person; when it comes to my every day wardrobe, I lean heavily in the classic column, but as a fashion lover, there are of course trends that I’m curious to explore.
That said, there are two main ways I recommend exploring a fashion trend: either with a less expensive brand like H&M or Zara, or via secondhand shopping. In both cases, the goal is to not spend a lot on something you might not end up loving forever, but secondhand shopping is a more sustainable option, so it’s double-win in my book.
These lace-up Loeffler Randall flats are a style I’d been eyeing for months. Because I knew exactly what I was looking for (aka not an impulse buy), I was able to search for them on The Real Real, ultimately snagging them for $70 vs the $295 retail price tag!
Save on temporary clothing needs
When I found out I was pregnant, I couldn’t wait to dive into the world of maternity clothes. I was pleasantly surprised to find out there are a lot of chic maternity options out there, but less pleasantly surprised by the price tag on many maternity brands. Why would I want to spend just as much, if not more, on an item of clothing with an expiration date, as I do things I keep and wear for years?!
Enter, you guessed it, consignment shopping! I had heard lots of good things about the maternity brand Hatch, but couldn’t bring myself to spend $300+ on a dress I might wear once during my whole pregnancy. So after exploring the Hatch website, which was admittedly filled with styles I loved, I hopped over to The Real Real and found the exact same pair of adorable maternity overalls that were listed on Hatch’s website for full price. Added bonus - they were sold out in my size on Hatch.com, but not on The Real Real!
My overalls arrived looking brand new, likely because maternity clothes (outside of the staples like leggings) are often gently worn only a handful of times during a pregnancy. The same goes for cocktail or formalwear, which is another category of “temporary” clothing needs that I love to shop for secondhand.
Buy AND sell secondhand
I live a far-from-green lifestyle, but as a massive consumer of goods (self-admitted shopaholic over here), I do try to be conscious of the choices I make. Do I still shop some fast-fashion staples like H&M and ASOS? Guilty. But do I try to shop secondhand when I can? Working on it!
Another thing I’m working on is regularly cleaning out my closet - I figure if I contribute to the demand for secondhand shopping deals, I should also contribute to the supply. For my fellow 90s kids out there having Plato’s Closet rejection flashbacks, don’t worry, times have changed vastly since then.
ThredUP is undoubtedly my number one choice for consigning every day clothes - they take everything from Target to Tory Burch, and you have the option to ask them to donate anything that doesn’t meet their selling standards. I mostly use ThredUP to consign less expensive labels because the seller’s cut is smaller than other consignment options, but I’ve still made hundreds of dollars on clothes that would have likely stayed in my closet for years, unworn, or ended up in a GoodWill pile.
My favorite for high-end selling is The Real Real - the consignment rate starts at 55% and only goes up as you sell more. A lot of people swear by Poshmark and Mercari for selling, but I prefer The Real Real because they do all the work of selling (marketing, pricing & shipping) for you.
If you haven’t tried consigning I highly recommend giving it a shot. Hesitant? Just remember that cleaning out your closet makes room for new goodies!
A complete list of my favorite secondhand shopping options & resources…
Online:
eBay (yep, it’s still a thing! I only use it when I know EXACTLY what I’m looking for)
In Person (Atlanta & surrounding area):